The Sun. — London, England, 1838-02-08 00:00:00

THE FUNDS.---(THIS DAY) CITY, T WEI, F.;;• 01. 0 cx. We have received Hobart Town Papers te Oet. 7We extract the following : " NORFOLK ISLAND.—We arc: happy to hear the expensive esta blishment a t N or f o lk Island is aly.mt to be broken up, and that the pri soners arc to be removed into, the interior of this colony (Sydney.)" We have received SVO:dey Papers to September 22. They state that The Legislative touncil terminated its SAting for the Session on Wec'nesday last. At the close of the day's business his Excellency the Governor, in addressing the members previous to their separation, :lc guainted them that that was the last time he should meet them in his official capacity as Governor of New South Wales." • Launceston Papers to October 13, state that " a ComMittce or the Legislative Council of New \Vales have lately teen sitting in de liberation, and 'receiving evidence up on the que.;,ilon of emigration the inj want o ury whie'; l the sister colony i s a t t h e present being subjected to for the : f * nands has pr o p er l y made it a matter of anxious solicitude with ! iover nment and the p eople at large. The Home Department have taken two-thirds of the land revenue, for the purpose of transmitting emigrants from the mother country under their own auspices, which leaves its a fund available its the colony, and Under the control of the local Legislature, the remaining third, cal culated to amount to 40,0001, per annum. This fund it has hitherto been proposed to appropriate as bou nties on emigrants introduced by private settlers." TDE FUNDS. During the early part of yesterday the Consol Market had a very heavy appearance, caused by some sales of monied stock, but in the afternoon Consols improved from 91{ to 91 1(, 4; and opened this morning at the above price, 911 14, with very little business doing as yet. The speculators are still anxiously waiting for news from the United States, as well as from Canada, which 'nazi. be expected hourly, as the wind has shifted to the westward. Exchequer Bills, 53 57, 24 per day ; India Bonds, 55 57 ; Bank Stock, 203 % 204 A ; India Stock, 262 % 2 63%. To the present hour they are quite inactive in the Foreign Market, and the prices the various Foreign Securities may be quoted the same as they cld at yesterday. Spanish Active, 181 % , with Coupons ; Portuguese 27'4 ; Three per Cents., 17 % 18 1 Two -and-a-Half Dutch Pet Cents., 52 % 531 ; Colombian rather improved, owir,g to the expectatio of money coming from that quarter ; done at 26. Ban PRICES OF STOCKS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. 263 • • stock .....„„... .. . 204 v, India Stock aper not. c • . '''.••••.••....0214 per Cent. ;sect '''''''''' :3, Ditto Bonds — pin. 1 , 3 2 per c p -.,15.. .......... .. • Ditt o i" --lit ' .... "' • South Sea Stock ........ . Old .Annnitics .... ..... ....., --- 89% 1.,1,,,,„ ,ed.... ................ 100Vili, New Ditto N ew ' 3 5 1 Per Cent ................... .99k li 3 per Ceot. is.nnultiee, 1751 -- -- n), Dap Lon tet.. ................. Exch. Bills, ..C1,(00 57 55 pm ungAnnuitiestoexpire Ditto 500 57 55 fun. 57 55 pm. Oet, 1k 1 1 8 41 1 : ..... .. .............. 1 . 5 1-16 Ditto Small Pm. Ditto Commercial • Jan, 5, 1860 ................ it 11-14 Ditto Advertised — Pin Ja n.. 5. 188,1 ..........::: .. ............ ---- Bank Stock for Account _ 4 31 n 4 . 11 „ , 5 : 1 . 88 r 5i0 ....... ... ~........... --- 1 Ind!‘ Stock for Account 9114 .................. --- I Consols for Acconnt PRICES OF FOREIGN FUNDS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. Austrian Ponds ............ P ' ' Belgian 'Bonds ..... ........ cr'!"" 1.0,,, ts •• — BraziDitto Account ....... ......... .. Ditto Account ...... ......... .. 19%N lia' Bonds ....... .. . .. .. ....... - “W"g':tese Ronal ltto Account — Ditto Account ... ............. : 73iit Ditto New Boryls — Buenos Ayres Bonds ............. • _ Chill Ditto Account . ..... .... ........ Ditto Account .. Dittian Bonds ......., ........ --__ „.',3l °, 3 Per C ent ....... ••• o Account ....... .....„. ;‘..__ ' ru an Bands ............... Ruszian Bonds, 182 0 1121(2%14 Columbian Bonds ..... ....-,...,..... 23% Ditto Account - ....... 4 Ditto Account ......„ ... ...... _ - Ditto Metail , c ...... C3lumhian Bonds, Ift`24,„ 25% r 51( Spanish DinisDitto Account . - ...........26 sa/ % Ditto Account*Ac: . : - Dittoh Ronda ....,,„ p ,., 4-- Ditto Bonds 1` , 431 .. • .......... ** l a AccouPA .. - ................ ..., _ Ditto A.ccou'n,t.:, ...................... ....... .A - Greek Bowls ". Ditt o yi, , ,,,j ..... iii,"; ..5 . • .... • ........ erench, 3 per _....it ...•. ..... --t. —c. Ditto cent —f c /.Iccount . ............. 2 -------- 3 4 Pr r cent: ................. —l.. ---c: Itlextef,n Bonds, 5. 1 7, e; : r " C;; ... ..... ---- Exchange ........... —f. —^. .I•AtDitto. Account .......... •• ••• •• Dutch, Zi, per cent. ........ 52% 3% to, 6 per cent. ...... ...... --. Atto Account ... Ditto Account. ................. --1 Ditto, 5 Percent cent N oapolttnn ........................... —I Ditto Account PRICES OF SHARES THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK Paid. Per Share. Real del Monte Mining Co., Registered ..... 63/. I.os 6d. '— liiDitto Unregi5tered.,,,,,...............•. 15 rmingham and Derby Railay. Company . ..... 20 17 Birmingham and Gloucester Railway Company .15 8% 9 EasteDublin and Kilkenny Railway Coltman • . `l...qci rn Counties Railway ...... .. ... . Y .......... :.... .. 3 11 9reat Western Railway C0m 2any . .........::: .. :.. ..... 65 82% 2 London and Southampton Railway Company 50 39% ILondon and So uthampte, - n (New) Railway •-* 5 21 1 , 4 %,!_anchester and Leedr., Railway Company Northern and Bilrmingliam Rai1way........ Northern and Eastern Railway Company .. - 4% 1 4 NJrth Midland Railway Company 25 25 In the Committee of the Legislative Council of New South Wales, a question has been raised whether the encouragement of emigration should not be extended to Indians, as well as emigrants from the mo ther country. The Report of the Committee concludes as follows : "Your Committee, in venturing to form an opinion upon the proposal . of introducing labourers from the mountainous or higher parts of India, are guided solely by the scanty information they are able to collect, as to their moral and religious character, and probable fitness for shepherds and labourers in the Colony, from the evidence of Mr. Mackay, ,olio employed them for many years on his Indigo plan tations, where it appears that these people have been employed 10 considerable numbers with great advantage to that Colony, (ths,,t of Mr. Mayo, late a resident in the Mauritius). Your Committee b.ave also weighed the many objections that may be raised as to the pnclaganis d m, habits, colour, &c., of th ese people, and they would not be iine to recommend their being introduced into this colony, or at any rate, that the public should bear any part of the expense of their importation, were not the demand for early relief so very urgent, and the present distress of the settlers so great, and the general interest of the colony suffering so much, that they concur in the expediency of grant ing a bounty of 61. sterling (which is considered equal to about half the cost of importation), for every male Dhangar, or hill labourer of Bengal, who may be embarked on or before the 31st day of December, 1838." A petition to the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of the City of London and the Gresham Committee, by the merchants, traders, and others of the city of London, is exhibited in various parts of the City to be signed. It states that Guildhall, owing to its distance from the centre of the City, and from Lloyd's also, and the Hall being t°s) contracted for their numbers, and that they are all put to tlailY i nconvenience,— un d er these circumstances they beg to 8°14 ' 4 an application from his Lordship to her Majesty's Trea sury, to allow them the use of the large space in the Excise Office, Aroa d.street, from three to five o'clock in the afternoon, under the Superintendence of the Gresham constables, and to be Partially Protected by a temporary covering, until the Royal Exchange bq rebuilt; but should their Lordships decline compliance, they respect fully request the privilege of assembling in the hall until more ample acco mmodation can be obtained. Both the British and Foreign Markets continue in the same inanimate state as h, the early part of the morning, with scarce a bargain doing. C'..nsols have been to the present tune 91.1 for the Account, and 911 I for Money. Exchequer Bills, 57 55, 21d. per day ; those paid off 145.. Bank Stock, 204 1 } ; India Stock, 263. In the Foreign Market not a feature worth observation. Spanish Active, 181, with coupons ; I'ortuguese, 271; Three per Cents., 18 ; B razilian, 73% ; Columbia not so good as in the morning, 25 N ; Dutch Tw o_and-a-lialf, 521 53, No Liverpool letters, ur any arrivals from the United States. THREE O'CLOCK Consols for Me Account, 91 %. 11 F. TIRADE S OF THE Times are amongst the la nst. amusing publications of the day. It contains, for e xample, a l ong art i cle this morning on the army, full of misrepresentation, which towards its conclusion is !„, xt .reTriely bitter against L or d H owicK, whom the r imes accuses of designing to place the army under a responsible Minister, which Minister it admits is re %ponsible to the majority of the House of Commons. It then says " the Commander-in -Chief of the Army is ,_ ll °w' respon s ibl e to t h e on l y power by which he can 'l° safely governed, viz., by the SOVEREIGN on the throne, which SOVEREIGN is of course a watcher of Public opinion as represented by its constitutional or gans." But the SOVEREIGN, who never acts but through responsible Ministers, can only learn through them what is public opinion, as represented by its con stitutional organ—th e ma j or ity o f the Hou se o f Com la°"s. The Times would therefore, in fact, have the Com mander-in-Chief responsible to the Ministers, who advise the SOVEREIGN, and who are responsible to the Organs of p u bli c op i n i on, an d i t b lames Lord HowicK for wishin g to accomplish that very thing. The only essential difference is, that the presumed plan of Lord HO WICK seleetssome one Minister, and makes him con stitutionally responsible to the majority of the House of Commons, while the present plan makes all the Minis ters responsible for the conduct of the army, without giving any one the power of controlling it, and fixing oil him the responsibility. Not saying which of the two plans is the better, we unhesitatingly decide that the remarks of the Times are as violently factious as they are amusingly inconsistent. ELECTION COMMITTEES.—After much laments !lion by the T or i es , on account of the absence of their friends rem the House of Commons on the day of the Election Ballots, Itt, turns out that a greater number of Whig- Radicals were absent ~0 4 1 1. Tori es . Th ere is no reason, therefore, whatever, for the ;31 res to comp l a i n of the formation of the Committees, except e r , l the!_r gr oun d , on which all parties complain, namely, that the acte r of the tribunal depends on chance. We have, n their the Grenville Femplaint s , a Tory t es ti mony to t h e f act , that or sue Act r equ i res comp l ete rev i s i on. The a b sence th. h a nu m b er of Whig-Radical M em b ers makes it our th of t o admo n i s h them, that, by their absence, they run a risk ylng a tri ump h to the Spottiswood conspiracy. th e HE ARMY.---We can state on good authority that ,ohstegulations a b out so ldi ers ' pensions, on which t h e Ti mes c ordial at such l engt h t hi s morning, have the ent i re and t , h , ' ;_ al c oncurrence of the head s o f t h e army . I t was found tha t the the old system, as men enter the army very young, f WI g r eat numbers were entitled to their discharge on and ‘ 1 . ) 31 befor e they had reached their fortieth year, t e °4t o i se " eti n .ie il ti e they were perfectly able . to serve. To have that system would have injured the army, and p iettlr , t the country to enormous expense. The piteous tans c. the of the lives of " worn out broken-hearted %etc rv!tbout enough of hand or heart to earn a day's meat by fr eui r eally ref ers to men b etween t h e age o f 36 an d 40 , w h o , h th e a •vmg bee n b etter f e d an d b etter ta k en care o f t h an reue a jority of th e l a b ouring classes, arc i n f act at t h at age ttoteui to abl e to earn their bread t h an h a lf t h ose w h o are ;° Pay their pensions. of 11 ' 3 with d eep regret that we announce the death Sir b,4ec,ornplished sc h o l ar an d hi g hly-respected g entleman, v d ' ll a ' , sl Sandf or d, o f typ h us f ever , a f ter atl illness of only ersi t )s. Si r D aniel was Pro f essor ofGreek in the Uni- Y , and formerly M. P. for Glasgow. Lort(4lthe lat e d ec i s i on o f t h e House of Lords, Lord C 'u su cceeds to 6,0001. per annum in Sligo, as also to a Nbissel;rtaLble, sum in ready money. In consequence of the &- eeerees“e late Do wager C oun tess Rosse, Lady Lorton also V l / 47 entitled to a large estate i n t h e county of Longford. tw e , e ri le arn fr om G eneva t h a t th e steamer runn ing be g t hat tow n and Lausanne was recently arrested in its peen by some ice in the middle of the lake, and would have ,t't f, ) ,2"`, 41 11ed, to the great inconvenience of the passengers, exertions of three Polish e ngineers, who succeeded " he vessel out. THE COTTON SPINNERS AT THE HULKS, TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sin,—The Delegates from the Glasgow Trades, at present in London, will feel much obliged if you can find room for the inclosed letter from the Cotton-spinners in the Hulks, ad dressed to a friend in Glasgow, and inserted in the Glasgow Post —Your obedient, Thursday, Feb. 8. J. M'NISH. I Hulk Justitirt, Woolwich, ,lan. 24th, 1838. near Sir,—We at rived here about flint: o'clock on Saturday night; I must say that in the whole course of my life, I never suffered so much freM cold as I did from I left you till that period—nen of us have soon a fire since we left Edinburgh Jail; from the state of the weather, and from our being for many years Coufined in an atinosphere of about 90 degrees, I leave you, Sir, to suppose what must have been, and what still must be, bur condition, while the weather remains as it has been for the last few Weeks ; and what is still worse, ac cording to the regulation of this prison, we were stripped of our own clothes and dressed in a uniform suit much lighter than those IT° were aecutomed to mar. The suit we now wear is composed of a jacket, a vest, a pair of knee-breeches, all of coarse grey cloth, and 3 marl'd grey stockings, with three white strips around the legs—one of those strips is in the place where garters arc usually worn. You are not to conclude from this that we have all become Knight., of the Garter. I would give you a brief account of this prison, the grounds around it, to gether with the manner in which the prisoners are employedand fed, hut time will not at present permit. Indeed, Sir, my chief object in writing to you is to let you and our other friends know that we are still in the land of the living, and in good health, and, all things considered, I cannot say that our spirits are below Zero. Now that you know where we are, and that we are shut out from society and from the world, from all that is near and dear to us, and are obliged to associate with all nations, colours, climes, and tribes; the perpetrators of every species of crime ever heard of ; in a word, this place is filled with such materials that nothing but rigid laws and strict dis cipline could possibly keep it in order. Thus situated, it will not be necessary to request you to write to us frequently to let us know what is going on, as well as to cheer us in our present unenviable situation. My time is up—send a letter yourself, or a copy of this to the Trades' Committee in Glasgow, if possible, before Saturday night, that our relations may know that we are well. No letters will be received here addressed to prisoners, unless they be post-paid. One sent to Wm. M'Lean was refused and returned yesterday. Each letter will cost us 2d. al though post-paid. We will write, each, to our relations in the course of next week.: I am, dear Sir, yours truly, (For the five Cotton Spinners), • PETER HACKE T. PS. I forgot to mention that according to law and custom we have got each a chain with two rings rivetted around our right leg. This is done to all prisoners when they come here first. How long they are kept on lam not aware. We have been employed the last two days jobbing about the yards, and sometimes pumping water and drawing it by a water-butt fixed on a cart. I mention these things not by way of com plaint, but merely to show, that all persons sentenced to transportation, no matter for what, are all subjected to the same regulations. You remember that Mr. Fisher told you that there would be a distinction made between us and com mon felons ; this is a mistake. Till; StTN, LONbON, THURSDAY, PEBRUARY 8, 1 SV. COURT CIRCULAR. Her Majesty gave audiences yesterday, in the New Palace, to the following Foreign Ministers : —M. Galvao, the Brazilian Minister; Count de Pollon, the Sardinian Minister; and Baron de Gersdorff, the Saxon Minister. Their Excellencies were respectively introduced by Viscount Palmerston, her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and con ducted by Sir Robert Chester, Master of the Ceremonies. Viscount Melbourne had an audience yesterday of the Queen, Her Majesty had a dinner party last eventing. There were present their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cam bridge, attended by Miss Kerr ; Prince George and the Princess Augusta of Cambridge; Count and Countess Pozzo di Borgo ; the Duke and Duchess of Sutherland ; Viscount Melbourne, and Lord Glenelg. The Military Secretary to the Commander of the Forces had an interview with Lord Glenelg yesterday, at the Colo nial-office. Mr. Shiel had an interview with Viscount Melbourne yes terday, in Downing -street. A Deputation of the North American Land Company, in cluding Messrs. Robinson, Gould, and Craufurd, transacted business yesterday, at the Colonial-office. Mr. Scholeficld, Mr. Attwood, and a Deputation, had an interview with Lord John Russell yesterday, at the Home office. Despatches from the Governors of the West India Colonies were received yesterday morning, at the Colonial-office. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. METROPOLITAN STEEPLE CHASE. The entries for this race, which, should the thaw continue, will be run on Wednesday next, closed last night as follows : Riders. Captain Gill's Nigger Captain Halfacre s Snacks Mr. Lambden's Performer Mr. Lambden's Laura Mr. Jenkin's Midnight Mr. Ellmore's Lottery Mr. Russell's Betsy Bounce Unknown. Mr. Frith's Centorius (late Birthday) Capt. Beecher. TIIE FUNDS.-CLOSING PRICES. BRITISH Wink Stock .14 1 4 per Cent. Red 9231 3 per Cent Cons 91% 3% per Cent. 3% per Cent. Red 100% New 331 per Cent 99% I per Cent. Assented Dissented Long Annuities to expire Jae. 1860 l5 1-16 Oct 1850 ll 15-10 Jan. 1960 l4 11-16, I,OItEIG/, FUNDS. Omnium India Stock 263 Ditto Ronde South Sea Stock Ditto Old Annuities Ditto New Annuities — Ex. Bil ls. .. 55 pm Ditto 500/ 55 pm Ditto sho/ 55 pm Bank Stock for Opg. India Stock for Act. Consols for Feb. FUNDS. Austrian, 5 per cent — Portuguese Bonds, 5 per cent. lielgian, 5 per cent — , Ditto, New Ditto 27% Brazilian Bonds .. 73% Prussian, 5 per cent — Nuenos Ayres, 6 per cant — I Russian Bonds, 5 per cent L.. 112% Chilian 6 per cent . Ditto, Metillic Colombian, 6 per cent. 23% Sp.nish, 5 per cent 18.74 Ditto, 1824 Danish, 3 per cen. — k :each, 5 mil cent ... —' Greek Bonds, 1325.5 per cent. Exchange ...... ... ...... ..... —' —e, Mexican, 5 per cent. Ditto, 6 per cent., 1825 .....„ 27N Dutch, :? per cent. ........ 53 Heruvian, 1825, 6 per cent ... 19 , i Ditto, 5 per cent 102% SHARES. Birmingham and Derby Railway l7 Birmingham and Gloucester Railway Bristol and Exeter Railway Dublin and Kilkenny Railway.. l% Eastern Counties Railway Great Western Railway B2 London and Brighton Railway B% London and Southampton Railway 39 London and Southampton (New) • Manchester and Leeds Railway Manchester and Birmingham Railway Northern and Eastern Railway . 5 North Midland Railway South Eastern and Dover Rahway 6 34 No other , ariations in the Prices of Shares since our One ii clot List. MERSEY AND IRWELL JUNCTION WITH TIIE ROCHDALE CANAL. —WC understand that this work is pro ceeding rapidly ; that the contractor, Mr. Mackenzie, expects that an opening from one end of the tunnel to the other will be made in a few weeks ; and that the canal will be com pleted by the latter end of September. It is astonishing that an undertaking such as this can be carried across a town like Manchester in so short a time (for it was only commenced in August last), with comparatively so little,public inconvenience. —Manchester Guardian. NAVY ISLAND.-Mr. J. Robins, of Bride -court, Fleet-street, has published a bird's-eye view of the River Niagara, from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario, which shows at a glance the situation and extent of Navy Island and that of all the towns and villages on the United States and Canadian banks of the river. The View, which is one of the best we have met with, is taken from a drawing by the Boston En gineer Callisgton, who surveyed the river and the country ad jacent, in the course of last year. \Ve unhesitatingly recom mend it to such as wish to inform themselves of the exact position of the Canadian Insurgents. TERRIBLE FIRE.—FOUR LIVES LOST.—This morning, about one o'clock, a fire broke out in the premises of a marine store dealer in Old Gravel-lane, Southwark, which we arc sorry to st a t e t erm i na t e d i n the destructi on of four lives. The flames burst forth from the shop occupied by Mrs. Sweeney, who, with her eleven children, were all preserved. The house soon presented one burning mass, and being filled with lodgers, a frightful scene presented itself to the amazed spectators, who were unable to afford them any assistance ; some escaped over the roof, others threw themselves from the windows into the street, and an aged woman named Parke, and her three children, perished in the flames. There were other persons severely burnt and bruised in making their escape. Such a frightful event has not happened in the metropolis for many years, and the survivors, who have lost all their little property, are in a state of great distress. The fire raged for three hours, and the house was entirely consumed, with all the property it contained, including a great quantity of articles called marine stores. Other houses adjoining were greatly damaged, and several persons are severe losers by the hasty removal of their goods. This morning, about nine o'clock, the remains of the unfortunate wotnan Parke, and one of her children, were found in the ruins. The bodies are reduced to a shapeless mass. A child, which was thrown out of a window, has since died in the hospital. A subscription is already talked of for the relief of the poor families who have been burnt out. DIARY OF THE TIMES OF GEORGE IV.--The account given of this work in the Quarterly Review (severe as it is), seems only to have increased the general eagerness for its perusal. A contemporary, in alluding to the principal sub ject of the work, the late Queen Caroline, observes :—" In the extracts we have given, the readers will naturally be in duced, in their perusal, to reflect that the throne is now occu pied by one who had no such evil examples before her as the lamented Princess Charlotte ; and that from all the trials and vexations to which thu latter had been exposed, the present Sovereign has been preserved. It may be said that many of the actors, with all their weaknesses, errors, and vices, who distracted the times of George IV., have passed off from the scene ; and that in Queen Victoria there appears to rise up for England a new dynasty, purified from all the evil that de graded the period depicted in these volumes." lItISIi POOR, RELIEF PILL. SECOND PART, TO THE FRIEND;' OP REAL JUSTICE'I IRELAND. I now come to my second proposition; namely, to shew the injurious operation of the proposed Poor Last Bill for Ir e la n d. The leading principles of thiS bill, as denoted by the clauses themselves, as well as by the explanations and arguments of the promoters of it, are these-Ist. That ho relief shall he „Oven outside the workhouse—that no discretion shall be per• witted either to Commissioners or Guardians. 2(1. That the administration shall not be connected with a Law of Settle ment of any description. I shall proceed to examine what would be the effect of a Bill founded on these principles, with reference to a population of landholders, brought into this condition by the causes described, and circumstanced as the parish of Burrishoole, already alluded to in my former observations. Here is a population chiefly consisting of small landholders amounting in the whole to nearly 11,000 souls, all of whom (with a few exceptions of gentry and clergy in Newport) are in a continual state of extreme poverty ; but at a particular period of every year are destitute of the supply of food rea sonably necessary for their nourishment—a destitution which sometimes amounts to positive famine ; and let it be remem bered what is here meant by famine is not a scarcity of provision in the country ; it is the defalcation of the potatoe crop of the individual, and the total want of means to purchase other food in its place. This kind of famine often exists in conjunction with a large export of provisions from the hnme diate nr ia b hbourhood of the sufferer. Such is the condition of a large portion of Ireland—a con tinual state of poverty, and an annual periodical state of abso lute want; and let it be specially recollected, that this state has been produced, and is continued by means of the exactions and proceedings of the landlords. Let us suppose the Bill in operation, and this annual perio dical state of destitution to come on in the parish of Burri shoole. Its population is nearly 11,000. We arc told there is a very small exception to destitution ; but I will take the destitution at 8,000, throwing off nearly a third. Let us suppose that the workhouses are provided on the suggested plan, according to Mr. Nicholls's Report—one in the centre of every square of twenty miles, each to hold 800 persons. Now, the poor Burrishoole men and their families must set out to travel. I will even suppose that the workhouses had previously no inmates (a very improbable supposition)—it would require ten workhouses to hold the people of this parish alone. How many miles would some of them have to travel in this case (the workhouses being twenty miles asunder) ? I dare not venture to compute it. If the workhouses were wholly or partially filled, some of these poor families must travel the whole length and breadth of Ireland ; but then how is it possible for them to travel ? The families have not cloathing to go out to worship ; they are obliged to change cloaths with each other for this purpose, and to go out in alternate succession. How could women and infants travel ? For recollect the principle is, that no relief shall be given ex. cept the whole families enter the workhouse ; recollect further, that whenever workhouses are provided in any district, and ready for the reception of the poor, begging becomes a crime by the Bill, and liable to most severe penalties. How then are they to support nature in their travels ? Independently of the law, taxation will naturally close the hand of charity. Thus, these poor people having once left their homes in search of relief, may be disappointed of that relief—can neither get back nor forward, and must either lie down and die—or else by becoming vagrants or plunderers, and exposing them selves to the penalties of the law, they get shelter in the gaols or the Houses of Correction. They must become criminals, in order to avoid death by famine. No matter how great the misery to which those poor people may be reduced—they can have no claim for relief. The keeper of a work-house may reject them, even although he has vacant space. Death may ensue, and there is no responsi bility ; and, if the work-houses should be full, neither Com missioners, Guardians, or any officer, would have power to ad minister the smallest degree of relief outside, on any emer gency whatever. It is alleged the restriction must be stringent in order to guard the officers from importunity. Thus, by this unmerciful Act, the poor would ha ve no a pp ea l against neglect or oppression, but to the mercy of their Father in Heaven. - - to my exemplification of this Bill, I have limited myself to its operation on the poor of one parish alone. But, if we con sider that the periodical causes of destitution will operate simultaneously over the whole of Ireland at the same time, and, if we imagine the poor of whole districts, marching and countermarching, north, east, west, and south, without any claim for relief, in connection with the coil where they had resided, without that wholesome correction of the evil, which would arise from a knowledge of character by those who were to administer relief—if we imagine such a scene, is it pos sible to conceive a limit to the distress, the confusion, the pro fligacy and crime, which must take place ? Such would he the consequences of this Bill, if the poor attempt to avail them selves of the relief it proposes. If I am answered that they will not accept relief on such terms, I ask in return, what is the use of the Bill ? Do the promoters of it mean to mock the poor man's poverty—to offer him a stone when he asks for bread ? If there are any class of persons wh9 will claim relief, it will be the idle and profligate, who will depart from their homes, where they are known, and seek relief where they are not known. You take away the check against imposture, which could only be sustained by forcing the administration of relief in the district or union where the wants and character of the applicant were known ; you take from the Guardians the power of discriminating between the victims of misfortune, and the perpetrators of vice, and thus you would add to your claim ants by the encouragement of imposture, and place those im posters in a position to avoid detection. But I shall now take another view of the operation of this Bill. I shall suppose the workhouses built.) I shall suppose that the really indigent are willing to expose themselves to the tests of imprisonment, separation of families, and work house labour; I s h a ll su pp ose th a t th e p oor l an dh o ld ers of Burrishoole, when want begins to pinch them in the spring season, shut up their houses and wander from one workhouse to another, till they are safely lodged in some of these diffe rent prisons ;—now let me ask, how is it possible they can ever be in a condition to t rave l b ac k aga i n to their homes ? You must keep them there for life, or you must transport them—this being the only purpose for which out-door relief is permitted. Recollect these people generally are landhold ers , supported for the preceding part of th e y ear on t h e scanty portion of produce left them by the landlords. If the whole families leave their homes in spring (when the scarcity of food commences), how is the corn to be sowed or . the potatoes to be set ?—or if sowed or set, how is the after cultivation to be per formed ?—how are the crops to be taken care of from trespass or destruction in various ways ?—how is the turf to be made for the winter fuel? Some of these 8,000 souls must travel perhaps 100 miles before workhouse accommodation could be obtained ; how are they to make their way home again? Begging is penal by the law, and by the same law the Guardians of any Union cannot give them out-door as sistance. Those unfortunate poor families must then remain in the workhouses. But another question arises—How is the rent to be paid ? It cannot be paid ; the crops have not been put in, or arc lost ; ejectments will be brought by the land lords, and the former occupants will be rendered irretrievable paupers, resting on public taxation for support. But this is not all; there will arise a new competition for the lands of the ejected tenantries ; a new race of paupers will be introduced, su' ject to higher rents in consequence of increased competition, and in a couple of years a fresh colony will start for the workhouses, and thus a multiplication of pauperism will be produced ad infinitum. The landlords will have an unchecked licence in desolating the country ; because as only a small portion of the poor of this one parish could be ad mitted into the workhouse of the Union wherein it is situate, the expenses in that case, although paid wholly by the land lords, would fall only in a very small proportion on the land lords of those people—.only one-tenth part could he supplied in that workhouse, even if none others were admitted, and the other nine-tenths would be sustained by the landlords and occupiers of other Unions where less poverty had been created. Thus the vicious landlords would profit by their own vice, and the excess of their paupers would be disgorged into the work houses of other Unions, where, from the kindness of the land lords or other causes, there were few inmates furnished from the district itself. Thus the greater the exertions of the higher classes to keep down poverty in any district or Union, it is quite evident that the greater would be the influx of fo reign paupers to that workhouse. What would be the melancholy consequence of this last cir cumstance ? That benevolent landlords who, by the moderation of their rents, had given no cause for the production of poverty, and the occupiers who derived from them, who had kept the poor from distress by the diffusion of employment, finding, themselves taxed for the faults of others—finding povert) flowing in upon them like a deluge which they could not stem, which they had no means of repressing—would become pa" ralizcd in their exertions for the public good—their means of utility would be exhausted by immoderate taxation —the po verty of the country would be progressively increased, and the funds of the kind landlord and his i n d u st r ious tenantry wou ld be transferred into the pocket of the grinding absentee, or the heartless resident rack-renter of other disti:icts• The Bill produced this year has one additional provision of importance, w hi c h, if connecte d w i t h j ust pr i nc ipl e s of re lief, I would ca ll an i mprovement ; b ut connecte d w ith the other principles of the present Bill I call it an insult --s mockery—a trap ; I mean the clause by which the Poor-rates are permitted to b e a p p li e d to em i grat i on. T h i s prov i s ion !s described as providing for voluntary emigration. I admit this would be very proper, if your Bill permitted the poor man first to enjoy all the ext ens i ve resources o f hi s own country . But by this Bill you refuse the smallest atom of relief outside the door of the workhouse, so long as he remains in his own country ; it is only on the condition of expatriation that You open your purse-strings. You lay a trap for him ; your prison doors are f o rm e d 30 t h at t h ere i s a free entrance, but no ex it . ; famine gua r d s y our d oor— f or if t h e poor man repasses t hat door, he is pr ec l u d e df rom see ki ng re l ief either by compu l so ry taxation or volu n t ar y c h ar i ty. C are i s taken that he shall have no rightful cl a i m . H av i ng got hi m i nto this position, t he alternative of em i grat i on i s to b e offered to hint—imprison ment for life—death— or banishment. Thele are your offers , and if your unfortu na t e p r i soner grasps at the last to rescu e himself from imprisonment or death, this is to be called voluntary (Oh what a prostitution of the term !) emigration. I ask this Government, is it their object to depopulate the country by force under the disguise of charity ? The forty shilling freeholders being destroyed, and the ten pound free holders being refractory, their political utility is gone as te spects the objects of the landlords. The property of the poor man will thus be confiscated, he will be expelled from his native soil, and Ireland will be again colonised with new settlers, under the expectation that they will become the politi cal tools of their feudal superiors. Is this the object of the the Government ? I trust it is not. I warn them, then, and I would wish to warn the people of Ireland, that such will be the result 3f this emigration clause be pct .:7 fonnection with a Bill, WhiCh rcAses mated tO A - • P -wement. I am any , outdoor ref if f; di d ftViddlktt ready to &nit tnai it *Child td e. Useful application Poor-rates to assist those who wished to become, in the 1n sense of the word, voluntary emigrants ; but I abhor the means of compulsion which this Bill would clandestinely confer. I have confined myself, in the foregoing observations, to th e objections arising from two leading features of the proposed Bill—namely, the limitation to in-door relief, and the rejec tion of any principle of settlement. I shall not take up space to comment on other numerous objections to its details, be cause if what I have attempted to show on those two points will not induce the friends of' humanity in the Legislature to al tee its provisions, nothing that I can say will be of any value. But I do not brirtg forward these objections t o o ff er en dl ess impediments to a Bill of relief' 1,6 4 ,1!.e u.nr of Ireland. Those who object, without suggesting the remedies, render them selves liable to the charge of making the objections to the Bill the mask under which altogether to defeat the poor man's right. This is not nly intention. I would accept the Bill with many objections, provided I could recognize in it even a discretionary power to lay the foundation of any efEctual re lief to the sufferings of my countrymen. I shall, in the third part of these observations, respectfully submit propositions for the improvement for the objectionable points of this Bill. WILLIAM SHARMAN CRAWFORD. Crawfordsburn, February 4, 1838. LORD BROUGHAM'S EDUCATION BILL. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SlR—The present is the moment for deep and earnest re flection, as to the best mode which can be adopted for edu cating the people.—THE PEOPLE I Strange is it, with riches unequalled, and a moral character pre-eminently distinguished among civilised nations, that no system of National Educa tion should have hitherto been established in Great Britain. The whole civilized world is in a transition state—it is a race of improvement, and those who struggle not for the prize will be distanced. A year or two back I presented to the Nottingham Literary Society a Paper on the " Propriety and Practicability of Na tional Education," with a rough plan for its attainment. In order that the state of education in that large town might be understood, I drew out a statement of the numbers of all the children who were taught, both in the week-day schools, and in the Sunday schools. The total shows the relative numbers in the course of education, as compared with the population of the whole town. If we take the ratio as adopted in Prussia for children between the ages of 6 and 14, it would be one sixth part of the whole number. It is pretty certain, how ever, that with regard to Sunday school scholars, there will be found, some both under and above these limits. The statement seems to bear on the Education Bill now in progress. It will show, moreover, how very small a number of children are re ceiving the regular course of education, as compared with the number of those who are admitted into Sunday schools. The number of children educated in the whole of the Not- tingham schools, was in round numbers, 9,000 ! Of these, 6,000 were taught in Sunday schools, and 3,000 in week-day schools ; so that in a population of from .52 to 54,000 giving a ratio of 9,000 children, of the ages from 6 to 14, only one-third of that number. was receiving a regular course of instruction. So great a proportion being taught in Sunday schools, arose no doubt, from the education being given without cost, and re ceived without any loss to the parents of the time and labour of the children. The total number of boys and girls educated in all week-day schools in St. Mary's parish, Nottingham, 40,000 inhabitants. Number of Schools, 54. Number of Boys 1,980 Number of Girls Add one-fifth f or rema i n d er o f t h e T own, the population in 2,820 1831 being 50,000 564 Total 3,384 c of Infant Schools. The total nu m b er of Children taught in all the Nottingham Sunday Schools. In 20 Schools, in union, in various Chapels .... ... 4,312 Unitarian, 200; Catholics, 200..... 4OO In Chapels -4,712 In the Five Churches. St. James's, 710: St. Mary's and Paul's, 600 St. Peter's, 268; St. Nicholas, 100 In Churches .-1,678 Total 9,774 hi the plan above adverted to, I proposed a school-rate to be collected along with the Poor-rate, and applied to the pur poses of general education. It appears to me, however, upon the clearest conviction, that such a measure, or any other measure, directed to the purposes of general education, will be entirely inefficacious, and comparatively useless, if some mode be not adopted in order imperatively to carry it into operation. In the Education Bill, as lately presented in its improved form, the charitable endowments are to be made the subject of a separate enactment. The general management of the mea sure, in being carried out, is to be under the direction of a Board, which is to be composed of five Commissioners, three of them appointed for life, and two of them to be members of the Government. The leading principle of the proposed Bill, however, is, that no part of it is to be in any degree compul sory, that people may still keep their children in savage igno rance, although unpaid-for education is to be at their doors ; that with regard to the characters ar.d morals of the children of the British empire, they are to remain the sport and caprice of corrupt and abandoned parents, who have a direct and posi tive interest in their destruction. Now it appears to me, Sir, that while we are legislating for a specific object, with a view also to enact a new compulsory tax, to be levied upon the rich and the poor, and even upon the childless, to allow badly disposed parents to reject the proffered boon, and by that rejection to commit an act of com plicated injustice towards their offspring, and towards society at large, we are legislat i ng upon a principle which is not only absolutely contradictory in itself , but opposed to every dictate policy and well-directed humanity. To speak o f liberty and justice towards the parent, a nd a ll ow th e c hild ren tofo founded e d d on e prived of an education provided for by a public tax, is indeed straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel. When we compel all to pay in order to arrest an evil, surely we might compel all who need it to accept the benefit, especially if its non-acceptance would be detrimental to the community. We stop a pl a gue, we prosecute nuisan ces , we compe l parents to feed and provide for their offspring, but we allow a moral in fection to blast and wither the soul when the cost-free antidot e isaltt heaitnhde.r appearsby the the statement s a b ove, that a species of educa tion, the regular schools, or by eleemosi nary esta blishments, may always be obtained by children at large. The Sunday Schools are continually open. There is a praise worthy competition in this noble race of generosity. It is, h oweve r, a sort of recruiting service f or th e severa l d i v i sions amuhF benevolence i s cont i nually in action. While Prussia of the Church Militant, an d to the honour of our coun t r y it i s thatisoaa and France, howeve r , h ave set us the noble example of a machinery much benevolence in, full work, for the purpuse of universal in struction, it would in the highest degree be discreditable, were Great Britain negligent or apathetic, either as to the duty itse su lf, ofrom r as to th fulfil e g ment . reat advanta ges w hi ch may be expected to Useless, howe ver, will it be to put a great m ac hi nery i n motion if its results are not corresp on d ont. An Education relt its Bill iofor.thTehceoupnrtiroyo japticlasrg?ef oieuggihsitattoioibleairioniovenrisvaelrsianl.its There is nothing - snee needful t o How morals many s a , cation. the atmosphere to life I In case of dan ger the state may com mand the l i fe and service o f a ll the inhabitants. I s there danger so imminent asignorance any cr i mes arc multiplied unde r i ts b aneful influence ! What tyranny so local in instruction. It is a m uch to be dreaded a s t h at w hi ch drives to the _ property. violation of life and lt h as b een left, it is said, to the present age to discover the tru e pr i nc i ples of legislation, a nd they consist in providing_ the greatest happiness for the greatest number . Now, how can this end be so well attained as b y legislating for the educati on of the whole community ? This conditional legislation does, therefore, appear to me, Sir, to be mast anomalous I It is c ontrary to t h e sp i r i t an d prin ciple o f law Parent s who are vicious, and o f b a d character, w ill prefer that their children remain in ignorance, in order to make them rogues and thieves with more certainty and expedition. Yet these poor children arc to be left to de struction, under the affectation (so it appears to me) of a vio lation of liberty, in compelling them to receive instruction. They have perfect liberty to make their way to the tread-mill and to the hulks. The school-room must on no account be tyrannically interposed, although it might prevent judicial ex penses to a vast amount, and sorrow, and suffering, and dis grace, beyond all estimate. The great obstacle to the education of the children of the poor arises from the interest which the parent claims in the time and labour of his children. A little more decency as to clothing connects itself also with their going to school. These two causes will operate, in thousands of instances, to render the proposed Bill entirely nugatory as to its objects. But will it not appea r a strange anomaly to be legislating for one town, that it may be placed under the provisions of the Board, for the advantages of universal instruction, while the town immediately adjoining may've left in ignorance, attributable it may be to the obstinacy or of the authorities ? A question, however, naturally presents itself here. Have parents a right, either morally or legally, to make their children mere chattels—to avail themselves of their labour, like mere animals, and en tirely to neglect their moral welfare ? Can we reprobate the West India planter who makes his purchased slave a mere chattel, and yet suffer the children of Great Britain to remain in bondage? I venture to plead, Sir, for the rights and liber ties of the children of Great Britain. One voice, at least, shall be raised in favour of poor helpless children. A few of their teuder years might surely be spared for the purposes of education, ere they arc devoted to the inevitable employments of life. We interfere to regulate the hours of labour—why not the hours to be devoted to instruction? The Prussian and French systems of education are now in complete operation. In the former state, not only are schools provided in every district, but thoroughly qualified masters also. The ieading, enactment provides, that if the parent do not prove that his child receives a competent education in pri vate, he is then under obligation to send him to the public school. The safety and welfare of the community require the education of all classes. Now, if those who cannot afford to pay for the instruction of their children refuse to accept the education provided for them gratuitously, ought they not under such circumstances be denied the right of 2laiming paro chial relief for those whom they consign to ignorance and vice? On whatever principles a general educational system may rest, it must emanate from Parliament, and bear its Legisla tive stamp. The Poor-law, although characterized in some of its enactments as exceedingly tyrannical and oppres sive, has nevertheless been put to work with great benefit. To render the proposed system free from objection, the Icomptilzery clauses of the Bill may be limited to children of eight years of age, and under. Surely it is not too much to ask for the time of children, for the purpose of being taught, -n to this early period. . Morality and policy unite in the de -1 .-._ -” , od of six years, moreover, steadily devoted to ril MI A p...... ‘'whi l ii ti which infant powersrs are capable, the classes of learning v. ~. might perchance would lay a foundation of Sorne extent, anu . receive additions, in future years, of incstimr.ble valf!.w. The course of instruction should include reading; writing, English grammar, and arithmetic. It might be called ~!:, elemen tary Division, and it ought to be the minimum of instruC!ion, which every child in Great Britain should receive. The course of education recommended would be applicable to those children only whose parents are unable to give up a longer portion of their time. There are others, however, to whom a system of education would be required, from eight to fourteen years of age. TOsuch might be added, in connexion with the branches above pointed out, the higher divisions of arithmetic, with geography, Latin, and some of the modern iang,Tl-Vg. The - who!C course of education on this plan would comprise the following studies :---. Reading, Writing, English Graintnar,l f y For children from 2 to 8 and Arithmetic ears old. Arithmetic in all its higher branches, For children from 8 to It Geography, Latin, French, Ger- years old. man and Italian No plan can by any possibility be offered as a substitute for Sunday Schools. They are i ncomparably the best means of instruction for a populous and manufacturing country, which human purpose, warmed by benevolence, ever yet carried into execution. Without loss - of working time, children are well taught what is of most importance. They learn to read the Bible, they learn to write, and in conection with these advan tages they are brought under the means of religious instruc tion. Manners and morals are attended to by unpaid and be nevolent teachers, who watch over them with well-directed solicitude. _ _ _ 13y the statement above it appears. that taking the whole of the children educated iii Nottingham in round numbers at 9,000, it gives a number equal 1,3 the proportion of all the children in the town from six to fourteen yeiZs old. It appears, therefore, that all the children are educated. Ot this numbe.", tr)wevor, 3 000 are week-day scholars, wid 6,000 BELONG TO SUNDAY SCHOOLS. This fact ought to be recorded in letters of gold. Nothing in the history of nations ever presented so noble an example of wisdom and virtue. Besides Infant Schools, and those on charitable foundations, two-thirds of the children of Great Britain, it may be stated, arc trained to religious duties, and taught useful learning by unpaid teachers and benevolent con tributors ! In the present state of society, it is probable that a greater degree of practical information is enjoyed than belongs to any other country. The schoolmaster has long been abroad. The vast circulation of the public journals prove how ardent is the spirit of inquiry, and how abundant are the means applied to its gratification. The benevolent and patriotic exertions of Lord Brougham are equally beyond praise and gratitude. When it is considered, however, how large a portion of our children, from G to 14, are so well taught in Sunday schools , and how many Infant Schools and charitable endowments are capable of being made far more efficient. than at present, it would in my view, be utterly useless to adopt any legislative measure with a view to National Education, unless that mea sure (as in other States) were made stringent and obligatory. I am, Sir, your's, RD. HOPPER. Papplewick, near Nottingham, Feb. 3, 1838. SACRED HARMONIC SOCIETY. EXETER HALL. The large Hall was last night again filled to overflowing by the members of the above enterprising Society and their friends. The object of their assembling was to hear the Oratorio of the " Fall of Jerusalem," composed by their leader, Mr. G. Perry, performed by a band and chorus consisting, as the bills in formed us, of above five hundred musicians. The Oratorio lied been previously heard at several meetings of the Society, on a far less extensive scale than the present, and considerable sturiosity had been excited upon the present occasion. It has been :'sell observed by a professor of first rate eminence that the itnmot-L a i Handel would " bear any weight you might place upon him i'st and that his magnificent chorusses, so far from becoming mere ."1'34,r, by an enormous inc r e ase o f voca l and instrumental materia , impressed the h e a r er w ith s till more . of conception of the composer, exalted noti o ns of the sublimit; at every succeeding ordeal. It was doubted by many, whether the efforts of Mr. Perry would beaS• the additional pon derosity included in a band and chorus -" or, the most ex tensive tensive scale, cons i s ti ng o f a b ov e five hundred s. The words of the oratorio are selected from the pees s of Pro fessor Milmon, and, as may be inferred from the ni - Ths'e, the main incident described is the destruction of the sacral city by the Roman legions under Titus. It would be invidious ; our opinion, to draw any comparison between the present cona position and any of those which have preceded it. The fairest mode of judging of Mr. Perry's certainly ambitious production, will be taking it as we have heard it, purely by it self, and without reference to those splendid efforts which are still looked up to, with a feeling almost amounting to reveren tial awe, by those most capable or appreciating their merits. The Oratorio of Mr. Perry, then, as a whole, is a compo sition evincing an immensity of industry, much scientific knowledge, very considerable skill in the management of in strumental accompaniment, and great judgment in availing himself of the mass of vocal power included in a large body of highly efficient choral singers. The drawbacks af,e that much of the music reminds us forcibly of what we Jtave repeatedly heard before, and that the pieces sr hick stand prominently distinguished from the rest, as evi-s deuce of superior talent, or of originality of idea, arc butt o f ;;;-2ited number. Still it is a subject of congratulation, that we ha::'e an Englishman capable of successfully competing with the foreig ri lsrs who have recently monopolised this species of composition ; gnu, above all, .that we have a Society in the , metropolis competent to cive effect to.the experiment, and that so large a body of persons co..' be collected together, capable of receiving that enjoyment whicii it is evident was experienced by the numerous auditory of last nigh,: The overture opened very charaeteri`tically with a few simple notes of the horn, very effectively played by Mr. Platt, and in the same movement Mr. Willman's clariosiet produced a delightful effect ; the passage, however, or something very like it, we thought we had heard more than once before, The quick movement, afugue, was neither very original nor very striking. The first Recitative, " Men of Jerusalem," was soli; with great firmness and power of tone by Mr. J. 0. Atkins; as Titus, a bass singer of merit. A second Recitative intro duced Mr. Sapio, as Simon ; we were not pleased with this gentleman, either in this or his succeeding efforts. He appeared to labour very much in the upper notes of his voice, and his attempts at giving effect amounted very nearly to voci feration or bawling. The first chorus, " Oi Holy Simon," was rather tame, and was but coolly received. In the air, " The Thunder follows not the Lightning's Flash," the com poses' seemed to have lost an opportunity, as in several other parts of the composition, of producing a splendid effect. The accompaniments were pretty, but too trickery, asid conveyed no idea of " thunder," or swiftness, or " warlike execution," indicated by the words. Miss Birch, as Salone, sang very beautifully and feelingly throughout ; her first air, " Weak, erring mortals," a charming composition, was very delightfully sung ; the instrumental arcompaniments were beautiful both in conception and execution. In so long a piece as this, of course, our limits will allow us to advert to but very few of the compositions—we must, therefore, content ourselves with merely adverting to such as appeared particularly prominent. The chorus of Roman soldiers, " Ages yet unborn," al though in rather too plain and measured a style, was very good. Miss Birch's song, " Fair are the Flowers," was prettily sung, and the accompaniments very pretty. An attempt was made to encore it, but failed. The chorus of Jews, " Lo ! a glorious triumph," was one of the best of the oratorio, and was very finely sung, as far as correctness went, but we should hare liked to have heard a little more energy and animation. An air, by Miss Birch, " I feel it now," was perhaps the most efficiels!. piece of the oratorio. When we state that it had a spendid violoncello accompaniment, by Lindley, superbly played, our residers will not be surprised to hear that it was encored. " Lov'd Zion," a beautiful air, with charming accompaniments, was chastet; and feelingly sung by Mr. F. Robinson. In the concluding c horus of the First Part, " Blow ye sacred priests," some e s s -1 / 4 -.cts with the brass instruments, in the style of Neukomne. Were at tempted, but either from defect in execution, or sesZsle other cause, we are bound to say they failed. In the Secoro Part the recitative of Miss Birch, " The sound of mirth ° has ceased,", was sung with great feeling, but here agab the composer seemed to have missed his opportunity for producing something striking. The words "Ha 'tis the thunder of the living God ! It falls—lt crashes— It comes down in fire I" were but feebly expressed. A fine chorus of Jews, " On to the Temple," was but indifferently sung. In fact, the music of the Second Part did not go near so well, in any respect, as that of the First, and the orchestra, towards the conclusion, had become deplorably out of tune. The concluding chorus, " Lord of all po‘rer," was very ef fective, but much too long. The whole performance was over before half-past ten o'clock, and the large auditory appeared to be highly gratified, as we are bound to say we ourselves were, notwithstanding those faults and deficiencies we have felt it our duty to point out. We have only to add, that the band was ably led by Mr. Perry himself, and the chorus conducted by Mr. Surman ; and that the orchestra, in addition to members of the Society, included in its ranks many professors of eminence. ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. The Monthly General Meeting of this Society was held on Friday last, the 2d instant, J. R. Gower, Esq., F. G. S., in the Chair. The attendunce, notwithstanding the severity of the weather, was more numerous than on any former occasion. A great number of ladies occupied the front seats. The Report of the Council stated that Mr. Blyth bad been appointed Assistant Secretary and Curator of the Museum; the latter officer beint rendered necessary, by the munificent loan of the lion. W. T. Fiennes. Several donations were announced ; among them was a col lection of anatomical preparations, presented by Mr. Bartlett. It was stated that the collection of living birds had sustained very little injury from the severity of the winter, and that ar rangements had bee❑ made for procuring a great number of rare and beautiful species in the course of the ensuing spring. Thomas Bell, Esq., F. R. S., Professor of Geology, Hobert Blagden fiale,;M. P., and Anthony White, Esq., were elected members of the Society. The Report having been approved, the Chairman called upon Mr. Blyth to open the discussion of the subject of the day—viz., " The Geographical distribution of .Birds." Mr. BLYTII commenced a very elaborate and interesting dis course, by enumerating-Ist, 'A variety of groups and species, which are confined to particular regions ; and, 2dly, Others, and some of comparatively trivial value, which are diffused over the greatest portion of the world. He illustrated the sub ject by adducing various phenomena oF geology and botany— enumerated and explained some of the more interesting analo gous adaptations of different types of form geographically se parated—such, for instance, as the humming-bird of America, and the nectar-feeders of India and its islands, Africa, and Australia—took a rapid survey dale modern theories of zoolo gical provinces, particularly commenting on Dr. Richardson's —and called attention to the following curious fact, which he was not aware had been previously announced :—viz., that those North American birds which have no genuine represen tative in Europe, and those European genera which have no species proper to America, are,• almost without exception, migratory, belonging to types of forms characteristic of those regions where they pass the winter. Several very interesting deductions were drawn from this fact. The leading charac ters of the ornithology of different regions were then dis cussed ; and generalising upon these characters, and the facts already stated, Mr. Blyth indicated some of the laws which might be supposed to regulate and circumscribe the dispersion of particular species. We greatly regret that the limits of our report render it impossible for us to do justice to this highly interesting por tion of Mr. Blyth's observations. lie was heard throughout with the greatest attention, and received considerable applause at the termination of his discourse. Mr. VIGORS followed, and having stated that he hoped this highly interesting and important subject would be followed into its subdivisions at some of the ensuing meetings of the Society, proceeded to make a few remarks upon some of its most striking points—such as the correspondency, or geo graphical representation of groups and species inhabiting dif ferent localities—the Ostrich, for instance, of the African deserts—represented in Asia and its Islands by the Cassowary, in Australia by the Emeu, in the Pampas of South America by the Rhcea, and in Europe, as he conceived, by the Great Bustard. It was his opinion, that every prominent group had thus an analogue, or representative, in each of the principal divisions of the world ; and that, in:every case, where,such re presentation were wanting, the deficiency was occasioned by some sufficient and harmonious cause. As an example, the Starlings were represented as inhabiting all parts of the world except in Australia ; the explanation of which exception is, that they seek much of their food on the backs of cattle, and in Australia there are no indigenous ruminant quadrupeds. It was thus that, in many other instances, the diffusion of aid mats is regulated by that of their prey—this, again, by that of particular vegetable, which, in its turn, is dependent on the soil. Before Mr. Vigors concluded, he expressed a hope that, at the next meeting, there would be laid on the table a greater number of specimens to illustrate the subject of discussion. Mr. CHESTFR stated, that if the gentlemen who proposed to favour the Society with any scientific observations at future meetings, would apprize the Council of the specimens which would be desirable for illustration, every possible exertion should be used to obtain them. " The Geographical Distribution of the Rasores, or Poultry Birds," was announced as the subject for the next meeting-, which was fixed for the 2d of March. At a marriage which recently took P l ace i n t hi s quarter, consistin,g of six, singu larly enough,al e i t r party bore the o* n females, fine Spanish name of Isa bella. Such a concentration of belles under one roof has sel dom been witnessed, and we cannot but congratulate the beaux who figured on this occasion at such an auspicious cir cumstance. Wick Paper. POST-OFFICE REFORM. The following is the petition from the Chamber of Com merce, Edinburgh : " The humble Petit ion of the Chamber of Commerce and Manufactures of the city of Edinburgh, incorporated by royal charter, " Showeth—That your petitioners have a deep interest in the commercial prosperity of the country, which at no time more than the present has required relief from all unneces sary imposts. " The rate of postage has long been a burden bearing hard upon the facilities and profits of all traders, which your petitioners have humbly represented to your Honourable House during the present session of Parliament, and craved the adoption of Mr. Rowland Hill's plan, as one likely to produce relief and great benefit to the community, and by which the revenue of the State is likely to suffer little or no diminution. " The more your petitioners consider this plan, the more they are impressed with its practicability. " The increase of correspondence will be enormous ; and if, under its adoption, the revenue from postage should fall off for a time to a small extent, it must be obvious that the in creased demand for paper will of itself make up a considerable portion of any deficiency. If Government, therefore, lose in one department, they will gain in another; and it is, besides, a well-known principle of trade, that a boon granted to one branch benefits many others, so that the revenue will in all probability be increased in various departments by so marked an improvement in the domestic intercourse of the country. " Your petitioners have felt much chagrined at the an nouncement given out of a proposed trial of Mr. Hill's plan in the London twopenny and threepenny post districts, by allow ing twopenny stamped covers to be used, or not, in the option of the writers of 'otters. " Your petitioners aro of opinion that this proposal, if adopted, can never be regarded as a proper trial of Mr. Hill's plan ; and the only fair practical one appears to be, to make the rate of postage one penny, and the use of stamped covers compulsory. By such a course this great scheme will at once be tested to the satisfaction of the whole community ; and the propriety of a farther extension of the plan of stamped covers, as well as the proper amount of reduction of r osta g o all over the country, be placed prominently before Parliament. " Your petitioners humbly beg to impress these their views upon your Honourable House, and, in conclusion, to pray that your Honourable House will be pleased to take the premises into your deliberate consideration, and that you will sanction no experiment of Mr. Hill's plan but what is based on its main principles, namely, a cheap and uniform rate of postage, to be paid in advance by the use of stamped covers or stamped sheets of paper. " Signed in name and by appointment of the Chamber, and seal affixed, this thirtieth day of January, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-eight years." SADLER'S WELLS. A new nautical piece, called The Floating Kingdom, or the Last Voyage of Captain Cook, has been brought out at this theatre. The plot is as follows :—Captain Cook's Lieu tenant (Mr. Worrell, late of the Haymarket) falls in love with Karrabeca (Miss Watkins), daughter of the King of the island of Otvhyhee (Mr. James) ; and is, through the agency of Will Wattman (Mr. Campbell), a British sailor, secretly conveyed on board Captain Cook's ship, the Resolution. Koah (Mr. Smith), a fierce island chief, much attached to the Princess, comes to demand her. An inquiry is instituted, when Will, while undergoing an examination by the Captain, is made to confess his knowledge of her flight, and refusing to disclose her place of concealment, or give up the name of the person by whom he was induced to take her away, is sen tenced to be shot. The hour of execution arrives—the musket is levelled, and the awful command about to be given, when the Princess, who had been secreted under a sail, rushes forward and saves his life. At this moment Lieutenant King, who had been sent on shore, returns— acknowledges that the Princess was removed under his orders—and is immediately stabbed by the jealous and re vengeful Koah. The Princess, Koah, &c. arc conducted back to the island byl the Captain, who promises to attend and pledge the King in friendship, at a religious ceremony to be holden next day. Koah in the mean time meets with Will Wattman, who had been discharged from the &squaws for being privy to the Princess's removal, and proposes to engage him in a conspiracy to assassinate the Captain at the cere mony. Will, thinking that by compliance he may be instru mental in saving his commander's life, and get re-installed into favour, consents. The morrow comes, the ceremony is held disputes arise, a scuffle ensues, the English are overborne, by unequal numbers, and the Captain seized, bound, brought to a hut, and about to be murdered, when he is rescued by Mal colm (Mr. Forrester), his Mate ; but as he is proceeding to the beach Koala suddenly comes upon him, and he falls. The piece concludes with a long and desperate combat between Koah and the Boatswain (Mr. Scarbrow), in which the former is killed. The contrast between the bloody and vindictive savage Koah and the firm but temperate and justice loving Englishman is throughout the entire piece strong and strik ing. In Will Wattman and Malcolm the English sailor's manners and feelings are well depicted. The piece is wholly free from indecorous and immoral expressions ; and the lan guage is good, if not sometimes forcible. All the characters were well sustained, particularly those of Will, Koah, and Malcolm. This piece was preceded by the Black Domino and the Grand Army, in both of which Miss Vincent per formed the leading character with considerable ability. NARRATIVE OF THE RESIDENCE OF THE THREE PRINCES IN LONDON IN 1835 AND 1836; with an Account of their Journey from Persia, and Subsequent Adven tures. By J. BAILLIE FRASER, Esq., Author of " The Per sian Adventurer," &c,...---From the subject, and from the author, we certainly anticipated an entertaining publication; but we had no idea that even the latter could have made the former so very curious, as well as so very entertaining. The genuine portraiture of these spoiled children of the East, the strange effects of our manners upon them, and the odd reflected light which their manners and feelings threw upon our own, at least in the upper circles of society,. form, altogether, as amus ing and interesting a description of international inter course as it has ever been our lot to read. From his previous oriental acquirements, as well as from his acknowledged talents, Mr. Fraser was, perhaps, the individual of all others in this country best suited to be the guide of these Princes during their sojourn amongst us, and to give us an account of them, and their sayings and doings, after their visit had terminated. We have accordingly a most agreeable and tempting work. Literary Gazette. TEE TOTAL TONTINE.—A society has recently been formed by the tee-totallers of Dairy on the following principle. The members m ee t every S atur d ay n i g h t an d de posit a sixpence. All who fail in their abstinence vows are expelled, and leave what they have contributed behind them in the funds. All who persevere in their abstinence resolutions will have the funds equally divided among them at the end of the year. Every surviving adherent will thus have at least his own money back, with his sober habits strengthened by the twelve months practice, while defaulters will not only loose what they have contributed, but loose all the benefit of their ' abstinence resolutions, awl the cost of backsliding to the bar gain.—Paisley Advertiser. I